Wide range input voltage differential receiver
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsHuy M. Nguyen, Seong Hoon Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for receiving reduced voltage swing signals is disclosed. A first amplifier may generate a first intermediate signal based on a difference between voltage levels of a first and second input signals, and a second amplifier may generate a second intermediate signal based on a difference in the voltage levels between the second and first input signals. A regenerative amplifier may increase a difference in the voltage level of the first and second intermediate signals using regenerative feedback and the voltage levels of the first and second input signals. A latch circuit may generate first and second output signals using the first and second intermediate signals.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first amplifier circuit configured to amplify a difference in respective voltage levels of a first input signal and a second input signal to generate a first difference signal;
- a second amplifier circuit configured to amplify the difference in the respective voltage levels of the first input signal and the second input signal to generate a second difference signal that has an opposite polarity of the first difference signal;
- a regenerative feedback circuit configured to increase a difference in respective voltage levels of the first difference signal and the second difference signal;
- and
- a latch circuit configured to capture a logical state using the first difference signal and the second difference signal.
A method, comprising:
- transmitting, by a first circuit, a first signal and a second signal via a communication bus;
- receiving, by a second circuit, the first signal and the second signal via the communication bus;
- generating, by the second circuit, a first difference signal using the first signal and the second signal, wherein the first difference signal has a first polarity;
- generating by the second circuit, a second difference signal using the first signal and the second signal, wherein the second difference signal has a second polarity different from the first polarity;
- increasing, by the second circuit, a voltage difference between the first difference signal and the second difference signal;
- and
- capturing, by the second circuit, a logic state differentially encoded by the first difference signal and the second difference signal.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first circuit block including a transmitter circuit configured to via a communication bus;
- a second circuit block including a receiver circuit configured to:
- receive a first signal and a second signal via the communication bus;
- generate a first difference signal using the first signal and the second signal, wherein the first difference signal has a first polarity;
- generate a second difference signal using the first signal and the second signal, wherein the second difference signal has a second polarity different from the first polarity;
- increase a voltage difference between the first difference signal and the second difference signal;
- and
- capture a logic state differentially encoded by the first difference signal and the second difference signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.